Box Score

INSTITUTE, WV – The 44th-ranked Crimson Hawks came away with a hard earned victory, defeating West Virginia State 6-3 in a battle of two of the top three women's tennis teams in the Atlantic Region. It was IUP's closest win of the season.

IUP, ranked second in the region, are now 8-5 overall after its fifth regional victory of the year. West Virginia falls to 12-5 on the season.

The Crimson Hawks had a 4-3 lead in the match, when No. 4 Ranvita Mahto (Burlington, ON/Robert Bateman) earned the fifth point of the day, clinching the match for IUP. Mahto had no trouble earning her point, as she dominated her opponent 6-2, 6-0. Tanya Timko (Cannonsburg, PA/Chartiers-Houston), IUP's No. 1, eased her way to a 6-2, 6-2 victory. She is 5-2 in her last seven singles matches.

No. 2 Sophie Butland (Taunton, Somerset U.K./Bishop Fox's Community School) also picked up another win, by a score of 6-2, 6-2. The last Crimson Hawk to finish her match was No. 6 Alanna McFail (Fort Washington, Md. /St. John's College ). She closed out the match for the Crimson Hawks, battling to a 6-4, 6-3 win.

After losing her first set 4-6, No. 3 Erika Schnaas (Mexico City, Mexico/Escuela Nacional Preparatoria ) battled back to take the second, 6-2. Her run was not enough though, as she lost in a third set tie-break 6-7 (4). Rachel Wood (Nottingham, U.K./West Bridgrord) also lost today in the No. 5 spot, 2-6, 3-6.

No. 3 Wood and Mahto earned the first point for IUP today. They picked up an 8-4 win as they were the first team to complete their doubles match. The No.1 duo of Timko and Schnaas also earned close victory, 9-8 (8-6). Butland and McFail's match went into a tie-break as well. The No. 2 pair were not as fortunate though, dropping the match 9-8 (3-7).

The Crimson Hawks will travel 10 miles east tomorrow, where they will take on the University of Charleston at 10 a.m.